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ONION 
CULTURE 



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13 



NORTHRUP, KING & CO. 

SEEDSMEN 
MINNEAPOLIS - - MINNESOTA 



SURIING 
Seeds 



THE MASK 
OP QUALITY 



ONION CULTURE 

PLANTING, CULTIVATING 
HARVESTING AND MARKETING 



PRICE TEN CENTS 



NORTHRUP, KING & CO. 

MINNEAPOLIS - - MINNESOTA 



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Copyright 1915 

by 

Northnip, King & Co. 






MAR -8 1915 

^S'CU;i 95 6 81 



Foreword. 

THE growing of Onions has been a step- 
ping stone, in many Instances, to the 
making of a home and an independent 
farmer. A few acres devoted to this industry 
will return a handsome income to the man or 
boy who will carefully test the possibilities of 
his soil in yields and the markets for high 
qualities. 

This booklet attempts to answer in a practi- 
cal manner the many questions that arise in 
the mind of the prospective grower. This 
is not a cyclopedia on Onion Culture, but we 
believe it will prove helpful to many who are 
seeking information on the subject with no dis- 
position to be severely critical. The proposi- 
tion is not presented as a short cut to wealth, 
but a means of earning an independent living. 

Poultry farming and small fruits may sup- 
plement Onion growing for additional income. 
However, everyone admires the specialist who 
firmly resolves to succeed in one chosen un- 
dertaking, making it a life work, and thus pre- 
pares himself with books, study, observation, 
experience, etc., to excel. An educated head 
must supplement a skillful hand to do 20th cen- 
tury farming. 



> 




Minnesota Red Globe Onion 



ONION CULTURE. 

The growing ol" Onions for a garden crop, and in a com- 
mercial way, is now engaging the attention of many farm- 
ers all over the United States. A garden, no matter how 
small, is not considered complete until it is stocked with 
Onions to be grown from sets of various kinds as well as 
a crop from seed which will produce bulbs of several 
colors and shapes. 

The United States produces many million bushels of 
Onions every year. However, there are hundreds of thou- 
sands of bushels imported to supply the demand. The 
stock that comes to us from abroad is mild in flavor and 
reaches this country when the markets are not well sup- 
plied and, as a result, prices are high. The South, Texas 
and California in particular, is now meeting the demand 
for early Onions, hence, imports are decreasing. The crop 
has become a staple in many sections where fields of 25 
to 100 acres are grown on one farm. 

The expense of growing, harvesting and marketing an 
acre of Onions may total two hundred dollars where hired 
help is employed. Onion culture recommends itself to the 
men who have small farms, where the price of land is high 
and where boys or women may be secured to do the hand 
weeding, thinning, harvesting, etc. Onions may be grown 
year after year on the same field provided the fertility is 
well maintained. Bulbs grown in the Northwest on new 
lands, especially in the timbered sections, have remark- 
ably good quality, while the Red Globe variety is in espe- 
cial demand for winter storage. These are grown in im- 
mense quantities for the purpose named and meet the 
shipping demands from the South and East. 



ONION CULTURE 



SOIL SELECTION. 



Success or failure with a field of Onions will depend 
quite largely upon an intelligent selection of the soil, the 
lay of the land, and its physical condition. Onions thrive 
best on a rich sandy loam that is well drained, having a 
subsoil which will readily absorb surplus moisture and 
part with it when needed. Such soils occur in many lo- 
calities in the Northwest, also in other parts of the United 
States, especially in the cut-over timber regions where 
small farms and large families are the rule. 

We do not hesitate to recommend commercial Onion 
growing to these people because their soil is rich, free from 
weeds, full of humus and fertility — in fact, quite ideal for 
yields of 600 to 1,000 bushels per acre, which are possible 
under favorable conditions of soil and care. Heavy clay 
loams are not good for Onions until they are under-drained 
and made friable; or loose and springy, with clover grow- 
ing and heavy dressings of barnyard manures. On account 
of the value of the crop and the expense of producing it, 
these items should be carefully considered before under- 
taking the growing of Onions as a specialty. We also ad- 
vise growing a crop of potatoes or roots on the clover sod, 
which has previously been top dressed and pastured; or 
one crop of clover should be allowed to remain on the 
ground for added humus and fertility. 

DRAINAGE. 

The drainage must be almost perf.ect to produce first 
class results. There should be no hollow places in the 
beds. On a sloping piece of land the dead furrows or 
alleys should be kept open. No crop of those usually 
grown in the market garden will give better returns for 
draining than will the Onion, but the time to drain is when 
the ground is being prepared, not after a heavy rain when 
water is standing in pools on the field. 

Tile drains at frequent intervals, so placed that surplus 
water may readily escape from the soil are a decided ad- 



ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS 3 

vantage in wet seasons. These are also used in times of 
extreme drought for sub-irrigation which may save a crop 
from loss. 

The ground thus selected and carefully prepared should 
be capable of producing $500 worth of Onions per acre 
every year. There are many cases where a rather light 
sandy loam with a gravel subsoil may be made ready for 
profitable crops of Onions by preparing it as we have sug- 
gested, but, in spite of added hunjus and fertility, they are 
inclined to wash badly in the event of heavy rains and 
suffer for the need of moisture when the weather is dry, 
hot and windy. Sandy lands that are not level should 
never be used for Onion culture because they will wash 
to such an extent that the crop will either be buried or 
stranded on the surface after heavy rains. 

There are localities in Ohio, Michigan, New York, and 
other states where Onions are grown extensively and the 
soils have the appearance of pulverized peat bogs. These 
produce large crops annually without the use of fertilizers, 
but in certain seasons the bulbs are inclined to be soft 
with many big necks 'and scallions, valuable only for im- 
mediate use with a trade that does not demand high qual- 
ities. 

Do not attempt to grow large fields of Onions until the 
soil has been prepared by liberal fertilizing, and a thor- 
ough weed killing process. This will insure large yields 
and eliminate much of the expense required where the land 
is foul and poor. Good soil is an important item, but, in 
addition, the grower must be fully prepared to do his part 
by intelligent labor. The beginner will do well to grad- 
ually grow into the business while testing the possibilities 
of the soil for producing big yields of superior quality. 
Use the experience of others. Visit growers who succeed 
and learn the secret of their success. 

PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 

The yield and quality of a crop of Onions depends largely 
on the manner in which the soil is prepared. Land that 



4 ONION CULTURE 

has been carelessly or hastily prepared rarely produces a 
yield that is satisfactory to the grower. 

For Onions grown from seed it is essential that the 
ground be fine and loose, and all surface stones and litter 
removed. The young plants are surface seeders. They 
cannot thrive if the soil is too dry or unless there is 
plenty of available plant food present. 

The expense of taking care of the crop during the grow- 
ing season may be greatly reduced where the seed bed 
has been prepared with intelligent care. Do this regard- 
less of the time employed and use a variety of the best 
tillage implements. Fall plowing is considered much more 
desirable for Onions than when such work is done in the 
spring because the soil is exposed during the winter to 
alternate freezing and thawing which always liberates, or 
unlocks, plant food and at the same time usually improves 
its physical condition. This is particularly true in all parts 
of the Northwest where no loss of fertility occurs from 
leaching due to winter rains. 

SPRING WORK. 

The spring preparation should begin as soon as the soil 
is sufficiently dry to be worked with a light, fine tooth 
harrow. Keep the harrow going every day. This should 
be supplemented with a disk, run shallow, as soon as the 
surface is made fine and dry with the harrow and by ex- 
posure to the sun. The disk should be lapped one-half its 
width to avoid ridging the ground. Follow immediately 
with the harrow so that no clods shall form because, if 
allowed to dry, they will not be crushed. The roll or plank 
should follow the harrow to firm and level the soil. This 
is important because a seed bed for Onions should be 
even and smooth as well as fine, mellow and firm. 

The tillage employed while preparing the seed 4)ed will 
introduce air into the soil, also warm it and, at the same 
time, liberate plant food, conserve moisture and increase 
productiveness. Do not begin sowing the seed until an 



TILLAGE AND FERTILIZERS 5 

ideal seed bed has been obtained. Roll and harrow and 
plank until you feel that the soil cannot be improved by 
further use of the tillage implements. 

In the event of a dry season the intensive preparation 
may double the yields. This has been demonstrated again 
and again by growers of large experience. 

FERTILIZERS. 

It is essential that the reader should appreciate the 
necessity of having the land rich in decaying vegetable 
matter and available plant food for profitable crops of 
Onions. 

These should be present in abundance before the field 
is used for the bulbs because they require much to secure 
large yields. Fresh stable manure and barnyard litters 
are entirely out of place on the Onion field. They are 
usually loaded with weed seeds and will interfere very 
much with tillage, which must be continued during the 
entire growing season with hand implements. Compost 
heaps will destroy the weed seeds and put the manures in 
such condition that they will readily mix with the soil. 
Manure from sheep sheds or pig pens applied with a 
spreader before the ground is plowed in the fall makes 
excellent fertilizer for Onions because it is usually com- 
paratively free from litter and foul seeds. Poultry drop- 
pings and wood ashes used for top dressing and applied to 
the soil before planting, or soon after, will largely increase 
the yield. 

Many of the commercial fertilizers on the market, espe- 
cially those containing nitrogen, potash and phosphoric 
acid in an available form, are also highly beneficial and 
profitable for the Onion fields. These are offered for sale 
by seedsmen who send them out with the percentage of 
each of the elements named plainly printed on the sacks 
which contain 100 pounds each. These chemical fertilizers 
should be applied, for best results, in small quantities at 
frequent intervals during the growing season. 



6 ONION CULTURE 

FOOD REQUIREMENTS. 

An analysis of the bulbs shows that a yield of 800 
bushels of Onions per acre (44,800 pounds) removes from 
the soil about 60 pounds of nitrogen, 20 pounds of phos- 
phoric acid and 50 pounds of potash with other solids. 
This demonstrates that Onions do take large quantities of 
the fertilizer named from the soil, which must be replaced 
to insure profitable yields with continued croppings. 

CLOVER. 

Clover growing will restore the nitrogen, also the potash 
and phosphoric acid, in limited quantities, the first named 
coming from the air, and the others from the sub-soils 
where these elements accumulate from leaching and thus 
are beyond the reach of ordinary plants which root near 
the surface. From 200 to 500 pounds of a chemical ferti- 
lizer per acre, applied as suggested on lands where clover 
has been grown, is usually sufficient. Wood ashes are 
worth one dollar per barrel when applied to the Onion 
field. This is due to their large content of potash, also to 
the mechanical effort in making the soil loose and friable. 
Wood ashes also aid, in a measure, the control of insect 
pests. It is said on good authority that air-slaked lime 
applied occasionally to the growing crop of Onions is a 
profitable investment, because it corrects acidity in the 
soil and has a tendency to keep the plants healthy where 
blight prevails. With an abundant supply of compost, 
supplemented by the use of store fertilizers and intensive 
tillage, fields prepared for Onion growing may be profitably 
cropped to that vegetable for many years. 

TILLAGE AND SEEDING IMPLEMENTS. 

Many Onion growers do not fully appreciate the value 
of a good assortment of labor saving implement*. The 
expense for manual labor to grow an acre of any root crop 
is an item that often leaves no profit. This was especially 



PRO'FITABLE EQUIPMENT 7 

true years ago, of sugar beets, when the crop was man- 
aged by hand. But with the introduction of seeders and 
tillage implements, drawn by horses, the industry is now 
very attractive to the American farmer. Onions yield sev- 
eral times as much money per acre as sugar beets and, 
where an assortment of the best labor saving implements 
are used, the cost of production should be about equal. 

HARROWS. 

A disk and smoothing harrow, and also a roller and 
planker are indispensable in preparing the field. Com- 
bined cutaways, harrows, clod crushers and levelers are 
on the market; these also do most excellent work in pre- 
paring a seed bed for Onions. The writer does not hesi- 
tate to recommend them after careful trials in the field. 
Bear in mind that the soil for Onions must be firm as well 
as fine and mellow. Great care should be exercised in the 
matter of handling the soil so that it does not bake or 
form a crust on the surface in case of extreme changes 
in the weather. The grower who wishes to make Onions 
a specialty cannot afford to use a combined seeder and 
cultivator, because this is too heavy for the operator to 
handle day after day. The expense of two separate ma- 
chines, is only a trifle in excess of the combined seeder and 
cultivator; which is most valuable for the small garden. 

HOE. 

The wheel hoe has a variety of attachments which in- 
cludes a rake, steel points, clod crushers, knives, etc. Each 
machine should be ordered complete with all of the attach- 
ments. There are also a variety of hand weeders which 
will save much finger work; time is almost wasted in pull- 
ing weeds where the hand weeders are available. Their 
cost is hardly worth mentioning when compared with the 
effective work accomplished with the best weeders. Con- 
sult the various seedsmen's catalogs for cuts and descrip- 



8 



ONION CULTURE 



tions of the labor saving garden tools we mention. They 
will destroy weeds by the dozen with a single stroke of 
the hand where only one is pulled with the fingers. 

SEED SELECTION. 

This is, by far, the most important problem the grower 
of Onions has to solve. He is often tempted to purchase 
seed of questionable origin and uncertain vitality because 
it is cheap. The difference between the cost of cheap seed 
and the best quality obtainable is so small when' compared 
to the cost of producing the crop that it would be money 
wasted to sow the poorer seeds even if they cost nothing. 
The saving would not exceed five dollars per acre; the 
loss in yield alone, may represent hundreds of bushels. 
The quality of a crop of Onions grown from selected seed 
stock may sell for 25 cents a bushel -more than a mixed, 
ill shaped lot. This would represent $100 per acre on a 
yield of 400 bushels. It sometimes happens that inferior 
lots of Onions are not salable at any price, while good firm 
stock of uniform shape and color sells at a handsome 
profit. Onion seed more than one year old is usually of 
low vitality and may not grow in the field where ordinary 
tests for germination were satisfactory. We cannot offer 
a single excuse for sowing cheap seed, especially for a 
crop that represents so large an investment of time and 
money to produce it. 

Good Onion seed must be grown from very carefully 
selected bulbs. The selection should discard everything 



I 




A Good Hand Cultivator. 



THE NECESSITY FOR GOOD SEED 9 

that is not true to type in color and shape, and perfectly 
matured. "Big necks," "scallions" and soft stock are pro- 
duced in a measure by planting seed grown from that kind 
of bulbs. "Like produces like," is especially true of seed 
Onions. 

METHODS OF SEEDING. 

Bear in mind the folly of sowing Onion seed in soil that 
has not been put in ideal condition for the growing crop. 
Days or even weeks spent in preparation may add largely 
to yields and will reduce to the minimum the expense of 
care in the way of cultivation and weeding. Use the best 
force-feed garden drill obtainable. Test the accuracy of 
the drill's feed on a floor and carefully note the quantity 
of seed distributed. This should represent fully twice as 
many seeds as the grower would require if each one made 
a matured plant. The seedlings are so delicate that many 
will fail and fall out by the way in spite of good care. 
Three pounds of seed per acre is sufficient for a crop of 
the large varieties. However, four to six pounds are gen- 
erally planted, especially for small, early stock, where 
Onion maggots prevail or there is a demand for Bunching 
Onions. 

The seed may be sown thick in the home garden and 
as the young plants begin to crowd they should be thinned. 
Plants taken out in the second or third thinning may be 
used on the table. 

The field should be so smooth and the soil so fine that 
the seed may be covered very evenly with not to exceed 
one inch of earth. Deep planting is often responsible for 
crop failures, especially where the soil is inclined to bake 
or form a crust after heavy rains. The distance between 
the rows will depend somewhat on the variety, available 
land, its value, etc. We believe it is a mistake to be 
stingy with the land and plant too closely. The rows 
should be straight (for reasons hereafter made plain) and 
be at least 15 inches apart, and possibly more for the 



10 ONION CULTURE 

larger varieties. These should run north and south, if 
possible, to admit sunshine to the soil which will hasten 
maturity and improve the general condition of the crop. 
Fifteen to twenty seeds per foot should insure a good even 
stand, provided the germination before sowing was satis- 
factory. The addition of a small quantity of radish .seed 
will make it possible to start the cultivator in a few days 
after planting because they come up quickly and plainly 
define the rows which is not true of the young Onions. 
Good seed sown in freshly prepared soil which has been 
well firmed should germinate and grow quickly. 

SOW EARLY. 

Early sowed Onion fields always produce the most satis- 
factory yields; late plantings are usually failures. Do not 
delay the work of seeding a single minute after the ground 
has been put in proper condition. Delays are dangerous, 
especially when planting Onion seed in a soil that is in- 
clined to dry quickly. Everything should be in readiness, 
the seed, the seeder and the man to operate it. In some 
instances it is wise to keep the roller and harrow moving 
just in advance of the garden drill, 

THE NEW ONION CULTURE. 

It has been known for many years that seedling Onions 
can be successfully as well as profitably transplanted. 
This has been done to a considerable extent where the 
plants were thin in the rows and an effort to replant would 
result in failure, which is usually the case when plantings 
are made after the cool, moist spring weather is past. 

The new Onion culture consists in raising Onions by 
growing seedlings in beds and transplanting them to the 
open. This method is particularly suited to Onions of the 
large Spanish type, such as the Prize Taker. The plants 
should be started under glass, preferably in^the green- 
house during February or March. Sow the seed in drills 



TRANSPLANTING INCREASES YIELD 11 

iy2, inches apart, using about an ounce of seed for ten 
square feet of bed surface. The soil should be sandy and 
rich. The plants should be kept growing rapidly and as 
soon as the patch outdoors can be properly prepared in 
the spring", set the seedlings in rows 14 inches apart and 
3 to 4 inches apart in a row. Where green or bunching 
Onions are grov/n in this way they can be set more closely, 
say, 2 inches apart. 

There are commercial growers who believe the expense 
of transplanting is fully offset by the saving in seed, the 
increased size and yield of the Onions, the certainty of 
controlling weeds and maturing the crop. 

Experiments at State Trial Stations and in market gar- 
dens demonstrate that the yield of transplanted Onions, 
regardless of variety, is nearly fifty per cent greater than 
by sowing the seed in the open field. In some instances 
the increase in yield was fully 100 per cent greater. 

The roots will be more or less pruned in pulling and the 
tops should be cut back about one-half of their length. 
Three active boys make a good transplanting crew, one to 
make the holes for the seedling with a dibble, one to 
handle the plants and the other to set them. About 150,000 
plants are required to set an acre. 

We do not recommend the system, except when the 
grower wishes to produce extra large Onions for exhibi- 
tion purposes or is growing them in the South for a very 
early Northern market. We refer people who are inter- 
ested and wish information in detail, to publications now 
obtainable on the subject of "The New Onion Culture." 

CULTIVATION AND WEEDING. 

The cultivator should be started immediately after plant- 
ing. The wheel, on a press drill, will plainly define the 
rows so that the tillage implements, carefully handled, will 
not disturb the seed. Cultivation is employed to conserve 
soil moisture, to liberate plant food, to admit air and inci- 
dentally to destroy weeds. Anticipate the coming of the 



12 ONION CULTURE 

weeds and do not allow them to see daylight. Keep the 
cultivators busy every day, especially after rains to avoid 
the crusting and baking of the soil. Use the horizontal 
cutting attachments in the beginning so adjusted that the 
earth will be slightly moved toward the plants, which will 
bury many of the tiny weeds and thus save the expense, 
of finger pulling. As the plants increase in size more earth 
may be worked among them. 

Use the double wheel hoe which will straddle the rows, 
and, in the hands of an experienced operator, destroy all 
weeds on either side of the line of plants provided the 
rows are as straight as a line. Great care should be exer- 
cised in this matter while sowing the seed because short 
crooks in the rows will make cultivation a slow process 
and will result in destroying many Onion plants in spite 
of the painstaking care of the "man behind the hoe." Ac- 
tive, careful boys, equipped with hand weeders, should fol- 
low the cultivators very closely. They must be instructed 
to'save every Onion and destroy every weed in the rows 
assigned to each. Pay them by the row rather than day 
wages. Select one of the most dependable in the bunch 
for a foreman. The experienced weeder will clean two or 
three times as many rows in a day as a beginner in the 
business, hence, the equity of paying by the row. 

The boys should be supplied with knee pads covered 
with leather which will greatly reduce the "wear and tear" 
on the boys and their pants. The boys should straddle the 
rows while working to the best advantage, and, with their 
hand weeders move the earth from the plants, cutting deep 
so that the grass and weeds may be severed below the 
crown, otherwise they will sprout and keep coming. Fol- 
low the hand weeders in a few hours with the wheel hoe, 
which will again bank the growing Onions for support. 

THINNING. 

Begin thinning as soon as bunching stock can be* taken 
from the rows. Onions should not be hilled like potatoes 



GENERAL SUGGESTIONS 13 

but need a slight support of earth until firmly rooted and 
the bulbs begin to form, when exposure to the sun and air 
develops color and firmness; very desirable qualities and 
much appreciated in the best markets. Deep tillage and 
severe root pruning always delay maturity and frequently 
are the cause of soft, green stock at harvest time where 
the crop would have ripened early and soundly had the 
roots not been disturbed during the latter part of the 
growing season. Do not allow a weed to ripen its seed on 
the Onion field that is devoted for years to such a crop. 

Sometimes Onions on rich new land and peaty soils will 
not ripen in time to cure the crop before freezing weather. 
Rolling such fields with a barrel, thus breaking the tops, 
has been recommended as a means of checking growth and 
hastening maturity. This "killing" process will make the 
bulbs salable for immediate use, but they will be entirely 
unfit for winter storage. 

The single wheel 'hoe must be used frequently to con- 
serve soil moisture in the event of droughty weather. 

SCALLIONS OR BIG NECKS. 

It sometimes happens that the Onion grower finds a 
large number of bulbs in his field which have thick necks, 
being soft, and will not ripen. This may be the result of 
sowing inferior seed. Sometimes unfavorable conditions 
of the weather and soil cause the same trouble, especially 
soil that is cold and wet. 

HARVESTING. 

The Onion harvest should begin very soon after the tops 
fall down and become dry or thoroughly wilted. If allowed 
to remain in the ground during the wet weather, after the 
bulbs are ripe, they are quite sure to begin a new growth 
of root and top which would greatly injure their keeping 
qualities. Onions may be pulled as soon as the necks wilt 
and turn yellow. They should then be placed, not thrown, 



14 ONION CULTURE 

into windrows where it will take a week or ten days of 
exposure to the sun and air to thoroughly cure them. 
Fully ripe stock will cure in much less time. 

Some growers prefer to top their crop of Onions before 
they are pulled. This method is recommended where the 
tops are dry and the crop will go to market from the. field. 
Sheep shears are a desirable implement for the purpose. 
Another way is to use a thin sharp knife, taking the dry 
tops with one hand and cutting away from the person. 
Be careful not to tear the skin down the side. If the tops 
are left too long it will give them a neglected appearance, 
and if too short, there is danger of causing the Onions to 
rot in the tops because of bruising, or from water reach- 
ing the inside of the bulb,* and thus ruin their keeping" 
qualities. At least one inch of the top should remain on 
the bulb. Experienced growers have demonstrated that 
the tops, when attached to the Onions after they are har- 
vested, greatly reduce damage from bruising while they 
are being handled. The writer is acquainted with growers 
of large experience who do not top their Onions until they 
go into the sacks for shipment. An easy and quick method 
of harvesting a crop of Onions is to lift them with the 
cultivator steel points or plow and afterward gather them 
into windrows with a wood-tooth rake. They may be 
pulled with such a rake as mentioned, provided the soil is 
loose and mellow. However, it is advisable to first lift 
them as suggested to save all risk of injury to the crop. 
White Onions are inclined to sun burn when allowed to 
remain on the ground for several days. Curing sheds with 
well ventilated sides and a good roof make a profitable 
investment for the grower. Small heaps slightly covered 
with straw will afford sun protection while curing in the 
field. 

MARKETING THE CROP. 

This is a business proposition and should ^be carefully 
considered from that point of view by the grower long 
before the crop is harvested. The beginner usually acts 



CAREFUL CURING REQUIRED • 15 

wisely who markets his crop of Onions as soon as possible 
after they are grown. This safely converts a perishable 
product into cash which will relieve the producer from 
further expense, shrinkage in weights, worry, etc., while 
he enjoys the company of his hard earned dollars. The 
price of Onions is quite as uncertain as their keeping 
qualities. They are frequently worth one dollar per bushel 
in the spring and sometimes must go to the dump because 
of overstocked markets. The expense of storage during 
the entire winter, including shrinkage, is often equal to 
the cost of production. The commission merchant is nat- 
urally a speculator, and, being supplied with well equipped 
cold storage buildings, is entitled to all he can make on 
the business. However, there are experienced growers 
who are prepared with crates and buildings suitable for 
holding their crop until early shipments are in the hands 
of consumers and the markets comparatively bare. They 
usually profit by the risk, provided the markets come their 
way and shipments are made in a satisfactory manner. 
Onions should be carefully topped, graded and have all 
litter removed before they are placed on sale. 

THE GRADER. 

A large tubular grader is an excellent implement for 
that purpose. This is a drum about two feet in diameter 
and six feet long, covered with wire screen having 1x1 
inch mesh wire in one-half of its length and 2x2 inch mesh 
for the other half. A rod through the center with a crank 
attached to one end will revolve the sieve drum which 
must be supported in a. frame one end being considerably 
higher than the other. This adjustment will carry the 
Onions along the cylinder from end to end and grade them 
as they pass through the meshes and out into baskets 
below. 

SORTER. 

A slatted sorter does very satisfactory work but soon 
fills with the bulbs — which is not the case with the re- 



16 ONION CULTURE 

volving drum. It pays to carefully grade and sort Onions 
before selling. The standard package for Onions on the 
market is a burlap sack that will contain, when sewed, 
just one hundred pounds of the bulbs. The expense of 
these, and the filling, is small but it settles the question of 
weights and controversies that frequently arise concerning 
shortage, shrinkage, etc. Do not attempt to ship Onions 
in bulk because of the damage from bruising that is quite 
sure to occur from careless handling. Sell bunching stock 
while thinning and thus secure an additional income to 
pay the boys who do the weeding. Small bulbs up to one 
inch in diameter may be sold for sets and pickling stock. 
The scallions and thick necks should be sold for immediate 
use to the home trade. Make the price so low that they 
will move quickly. If the grower is located near a large 
city it is usually advisable to turn his second grade stock 
into money through peddlers who have established a trade 
for such goods and a reputation that no grower cares to 
possess. Insist on having buyers inspect and accept your 
Onions before they are moved from the loading station. 
This precaution saved the writer from a loss of more than 
$2,C00 on a single shipment of Onions which he made when 
a "boy" in the business. They were sold to a city com- 
mission merchant who furnished a man to help sack and 
load them. On account of an unfavorable season to 
soundly mature the crop and hot weather while the Onions 
were in transit they heated and spoiled. The shipper 
rather than the grower bore the loss because he had 
previously accepted the stock. 

WEIGHT OF ONIONS. 

This fragrant bulb is now quoted and sold by the hun- 
dred weight rather than by the bushel. There is a wide 
difference in the number of pounds required for a bushel 
by the various states. Fifty-seven pounds is the maximum 
and is regarded the legal weight by several states; how- 
ever, a number make fifty-two pounds a legal bushel. 



INSURING SHIPMENTS 17 

There are several states that do not establish a legal 
weight for a bushel of Onions — New York, Pennsylvania 
and others are in the list. Readers will readily understand 
the wisdom of a united effort to get out of the old rut of 
selling Onions by the bushel. 

STORING— FALL AND WINTER. 

The keeping qualities of Onions are much Improved when 
they are handled in the field and stored in flat crates or 
slatted boxes that will hold one or two bushels of bulbs. 
They may be stacked on the field after a few days' 
exposure to the sun. When under cover of boards 
or tar paper the Onions will keep safely until cold weather. 
Great care must be used in protecting Onions against 
frosty nights when they are curing in the field. The writer 
recalls instances where growers have lost an entire crop 
from the effects of a severe frost while the bulbs were in 
the windrows. In the event of a prospective frost the 
Onions should be bunched and covered with straw or 
crated and stacked for protection. The keeping quality of 
the bulbs is always more or less injured from a frosty 
night followed by a bright, warm sunshine. This does not 
contradict in any measure the fact that Onions may be 
safely wintered by freezing them solidly while stored in a 
place where they will not thaw out until spring. A cover- 
ing of a foot or two of hay will aid very much in keeping 
the Onions from thawing in the event of warm days during 
the time they are in storage. 

PITTING. 

In some sections Onions are pitted for the winter on a 
soil that is well drained and* so located that the pits will 
be protected from the sun — the north side of a hill or 
hedge is desirable. Make long, narrow, conical heaps 
which should rest on clean dry straw. Cover the Onions, 
which must be sound and dry, with slough hay or straw 



18 ONION CULTURE. 

and finish with sufficient earth to slied water. Make this 
smooth and firm by patting it down with a shovel. When 
tlie Onions are solidly frozen an additional covering of 
straw will hold the frost until spring. Do not attempt to 
move or handle Onions when frozen because it is quite 
sure to hasten decay and may ruin them for the market. 
Dry, frost-proof storage is always the most desirable for 
Onions during the winter. 

STORE HOUSE. 

A building having double walls which are papered on 
either side is usually frost-proof, however, it is advisable 
to have a stove in a pit or basement underneath to use in 
the event of severe weather. The heat should circulate 
between the walls through openings in the floor between 
the studding and enter the storage room below the ceiling, 
which should also be papered and covered with sawdust 
to retain heat and absorb moisture. The building must be 
provided with ventilators and double windows. Do not 
place crates or sacks in contact with the walls because 
they are quite sure to be damp and cold. Do not under 
any circumstances place Onions in frost-proof storage for 
the winter until they are thoroughly cured, bone dry, and 
perfectly dormant in root and top. Discard all bruised 
and soft stock as well as everything that shows live roots 
or a green open crown. The shallow, flat crate made from 
lath with ends and center piece 2 feet long, cut from 1x4 
inch boards, will hold one hundred pounds of Onions. 
When stacked with spaces between the ends for the circu- 
lation of air the Onions will keep until warm weather in 
splendid condition provided the temperature in the room 
is kept just above the freezing point. Heat or moisture 
will cause them to grow. Onions stored in a damp cellar 
are quite sure to sprout before spring. 

SHIPPING. ^ 

Onions are a very perishable product, especially when 
sacked and stored in a box car which, without ventilation, 



STORING 19 

may remain on track for weeks before the stock is un- 
loaded. Don't take any such risks. Order ventilated 
vegetable cars for early shipments and refrigerators for 
cold weather. Do not allow the men, while loading, to 
travel over the filled sacks, because it will greatly injure 
their keeping qualities. Handle with care every time they 
are moved. 

WARIVI CAR ESSENTIAL. 

Warm the inside of cars, in winter, with a stove before 
loading. The heat should be continued until the walls and 
packing are warmed. Bed the sides of the car with straw 
and build a false bottom on which the sacks will rest. 
This should also be supplied with at least six inches of 
straw to make it frost proof. Onions thus protected in 
well constructed refrigerator cars will ship safely during 
the winter months. It is always wise to send a man with 
cars in severe weather to see that the contents are not 
allowed to freeze while in transit and deliver the shipment 
to the purchaser. There are commission merchants who 
quote attractive prices to growers, a handsome premium 
above market values, and always report short weights, 
frosted or heated stock, etc. 

In some instances they do not even report on the ship- 
ment but steal the whole bunch. Don't consign to 
strangers. Sell and insist on payment in advance of the 
shipment.. 

VARIETIES. 

For commercial purposes the Onion grower should con- 
fine a selection of varieties to a very small number. In 
fact, we believe he should make a specialty of one only, 
and build up a trade on that, which in most instances will 
prove more profitable than several varieties. 

The Minnesota Red Globe is now considered the most 
productive as well as the most profitable variety grown in 
the Northwest. It is handsome, large and very true to 



20 



ONION CULTURE 



type in color and shape. The yield frequently reaches 800 
bushels per acre. Growers have reported a crop of more 
than 300 bushels from one pound of seed. 




Minnesota Yellow Globe Onion 



Its keeping qualities recommend the Minnesota Red 
Globe for winter storage in the North and for the produce 
trade in the East and South, where large quantities are 
shipped every year. The keeping qualities of this Onion 
are not excelled by any of the American grown varieties. 



VARIETIES 21 

The color of Minnesota Red Globe is a deep blood-red, 
extra dark, while the surface is smooth and glossy. The 
flesh is white, tinged with light purple, fine grained and 
unsurpassed in flavor. 

A sound, well ripened Onion crop can be put away in 
the autumn and held for 6 to 8 months under suitable con- 
ditions with a shrinkage of not much more than a pound 
per bushel per month. Experienced growers are careful, 
however, to plant a select strain of seed which has been 
bred to produce long-keeping, perfectly ripened bulbs. 

Minnesota Yellow Globe differs only in color from the 
Red Globe. 

Minnesota White Globe is of the same origin and quali- 
ties as the Red and Yellow. 

Southport Red Globe. This is an excellent keeper; 
grows to good size and is very uniform in shape, being 
nearly round. The color is a dark red with a white, fine 
grained flesh which recommends it to the trade as well as 
making it popular with consumers. 

Danvers — flat and round — are the most largely grown of 
the Yellow Onions. They sometimes yield 600 to 800 
bushels per acre. However, they are not as hardy as the 
Reds, hence, usually command higher prices than the Reds 
on most markets. 

White Globe. This is used largely for pickling stock, 
being sowed thickly; and preferred by critical city trade 
that takes them on account of their color. 

Prize Taker. This variety attains an immense size espe- 
cially when started from seed under glass during the latter 
part of the winter and afterward transplanted into rows 
in the garden. Many growers have adopted this method — 
called the New Onion Culture — believing it to be more 
profitable in the end than sowing the seed in the open. 

Large Red Wethersfield. This is the most extensively 
grown red variety for the farmer's garden. However, they 
are no longer popular with the trade.. Red Globes are 
rapidly displacing the Wethersfield for a commercial crop 



22 



ONION CULTURE 



because of their superior keeping — as well as eating — ^quali- 
ties. 

ONION SETS. 

Onions are propagated from seed and sets. However, 
the latter are used only for extra early bunching or table 
stock. There are only three or four varieties of the sets 
that are at all popular with market gardeners. 




Large Red Wethersfield. 



Bottom Sets — Red, Yellow and White. These are pro- 
duced by sowing seed, early in the spring, at the rate of 
75 to 100 pounds per acre. Spreaders are used on the 
seeders which distribute the seed in drills about 4 inches 



VARIETIES 23 

wide and in rows 15 inches apart. The Onions ripen pre- 
maturely and should not average more than one-half inch 
in diameter. 

They will not make seed stalks when planted the follow- 
ing year but rapidly increase in size until fully developed. 
They are usually worth $3 to $5 per bushel and 10 to 15 
bushels are required to plant an acre. In the South they 
may be planted in the fall. However, this would not be a 
safe proposition in the North because of our severe win- 
ters with the alternate freezing and thawing of the soil 
during the fall and spring months. 

Multipliers, or "Potato Onions" — White and Yellow. 
These, as the name suggests, multiply in the ground about 
the parent set. They may be planted in the early spring. 
Usually about a half dozen of the plants will appear from 
each set and soon make table or bunching stock. 

Prize Taker Onion Sets. These are excellent for use in 
localities where the season is too short to grow matured 
bulbs of this variety from seed. 

Red Top Sets. Planted to produce both early green and 
large eating onions. 

Egyptian Winter or Red Perennial Sets. Entirely 
distinct from all other varieties of onion; being 
perfectly hardy everywhere. They should be planted in 
the fall and left in the ground all winter. These sets never 
form large bulbs but produce the earliest, small, green 
onions ready for home or market use weeks ahead of any 
other sort, unsurpassed in sweetness and tenderness. It 
is best to replant every autumn and use both roots and 
tops the following spring. Slight winter protection is re- 
quired, just a few inches of coarse litter spread on the 
crowns after the ground freezes, to prevent root heaving. 



24 



ONIO'N CULTURE 



'^'**»^ **,'fl 




Bottom Onion Sets. 



INDEX. 



Page 

Bottom Sets 22, 24 

Clover 6 

Cultivation 11 

Danvers 21 

Drainage 2 

Egyptian Sets 23 

Expense of Crop 1, 4 

Hastening Maturity. . . .13 

Fertilizing 3 

Fertilizers 5, 6 

Freezing 18 

Grader 15 

Harrow 7 

Harvesting 13 

Hoe 7,12 

Implements 6 

Large Red Weathers- 
field 21 

Marketing .14-15 

Minn. Red Globe 19 

Multipliers 23 

New Onion Culture 10 

Pitting 17 

Potato Onions 23 



Page 

Prize Taker 10,21 

Red Globe 1 

Red Perennial Sets 23 

Red Top Sets 23 

Scallions 9,13 

Seed Selection 8 

Seeding 9-10 

Sets 22 

Shipping 18 

Soil 2- 4 

Sorter 15 

Spring Work 4 

Storing 17-18 

Sun Burn 14 

Thinning 12 

Topping 14 

Transplanting 10 

Value of Crop 3 

Varieties 19 

Weeders 7 

Weight 16 

Weeding 11 

Winter Sets 23 




Egyptian Onion Sets. 



LIBRARY OF BOOKLETS 

How To Obtain Them 

The regular price of these book- 
lets Is 10 cents each. We will, if re- 
quested, send a booklet free with 
orders for each of the articles upon 
which the booklet treats. To those 
who wish to obtain booklets im- 
mediately, we make the following: 
special offer: We will send any one 
booklet, postpaid, for five cents; any 
seven for 25 cents, or sixteen post- 
paid for 60 cents. 

If on receipt of the booklets you 
are not satisfied with the invest- 
ment, keep the booklets and we will 
promptly and without question re- 
fund the money. 

Alfalfa Onion Culture 

Cabbage Growing Pastures and Soiling Crops 

Clover Potato Culture 

Field Com Profitable Poultry 

Hand Book for the Garden Quack Grass and Other Weeds 

Insects and Diseases Root Crops 

Lawns Silage and Silos 

More Pork Profits Vine Crops 

We flhaU add to this list from time to time. 

NORTHRUP, KING & CO., Seedsmen, 

MINNEAPOLIS. MINN. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




000 916 792 4 




